Women Voters Up For Grabs?

Gov. Sarah Palin's addition to the GOP ticket yesterday as John McCain's vice presidential pick was arguably a nod to the conservative and evangelical voters whose enthusiasm for this campaign paled next to that of Democratic nominee Barack Obama's supporters. But beyond solidifying the base, can McCain's selection bring in disaffected Democratic and independent women?

Palin's introduction yesterday was framed around the idea that she was a reformer who could bring an outside Washington perspective to the job. These ideas reflect two areas in which McCain lags well behind Obama among Democratic and independent women. According to the most recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, just 16 percent called McCain the more optimistic candidate or the one who would do more to stand up to lobbyists and special interest groups, a tick below the 23 percent support he holds among this group. But, any attitude bonus the pick provides may be offset by reinforcement of McCain's conservative positions on social issues such as abortion and civil unions - just 17 percent said they trusted McCain more to handle such issues. More than six in 10 women in this category favor legal abortion.

Looking at those voters of all parties most apt to change their minds, women and men were about equally likely to be in play in the Post-ABC poll, 29 percent of women and 31 percent of men could be classified as "movable" voters, those who back a candidate but said they could change their minds or who have not yet settled on any candidate. That represents a 10-point increase in movable men compared with this stage in 2004, and a 5-point bump among women.

Obama has the edge overall among women, 55 percent to 37 percent in the Post-ABC poll, including 41 percent who said they are definitely backing the senator from Illinois compared with 25 percent who are that solidly behind McCain. The two candidates are nearly even among women in the persuadable group, 39 percent back Obama, 35 percent McCain, and fully a quarter are uncommitted to either, but the Democrats hold a broad party identification edge: Fifty-three percent are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents, 39 percent are Republicans or GOP-leaning independents.

Most of the Democrats in this group said they would have preferred to see Hillary Clinton win the nod. All told, that means about a third of all female movable voters are uncommitted former Clintonites; about one in five women overall were Clinton backers.

On many measures, these women look just like all women voters. For instance, about six in 10 favor abortion rights, about three in 10 have a college degree, and regionally, they have about the same distribution as all women.

But on several key issues of campaign 2008, they are distinct from women generally, and the differences point to challenges for both candidates:

Uncommitted women are somewhat more apt to cite the economy as their top concern (44 percent compared with 36 percent), but give Obama about the same margin as the candidate more trusted to handle it.

As among all women, about eight in 10 uncommitted women said the nation is heading off on the wrong track, but they are more apt to prioritize strength and experience (50 percent) than a new direction and new ideas (37 percent).

A majority of women (52 percent) said Obama has the "kind of experience it takes to serve effectively as president," that dips to 43 percent among movable women.

Movable women are just as likely as other women to hold favorable views of Barack Obama (69 percent compared to 66 percent) but are more likely to hold favorable views of McCain (70 percent compared with 55 percent), but are just as likely as other women to believe he will continue in the same direction as President Bush (56 percent).

What a season! Have you noticed Democrats have given up all interest in truth. It has become necessary to smear Sarah Palin no matter what. Reason: she is far more qualified than Barack Obama. See:http://christianprophecy.blogspot.com/

Worship doesn't need truth, it only needs faith. What you saw Thursday was a gathering of the 'faithful' who only need to believe he is the 'One'. They will disregard truth for faith. But faith in what? A higher power? If history serves me well, there's another young charismatic leader who led the faithful to the 'slaughter' (communism). His name is Fidel.

Just looked like the Dem convention to me, happens every four years. It's in the papers every time, I am surprised you hadn't noticed it before.
They do like Obama, but try not to be so jealous of that, most folks like John McCain too, at least a little. It's just that 38 million people aren't going to stop what they are doing to listen to what John McCain has to say.
This endless complaining that everyone who listens to your opponent has succumbed to his insidious mind control capabilities just sound like sour grapes to me. Try to man-up and come to terms with the fact that it's OK if people listen to him.

I am insulted that John McCain thinks that Sarah Palin is a relacement for Hillary clinton...it goes to show he is LOST ..she is against abortion , is a killer (hunts and has dead animal in her home), thinks global warming is not man made and is a member of the NRA what the hell . She has been isolated in Alaska way to long ...most women in America do not think like her .
It goes to show that if Barack Obama was not black he would have won by now rightly so , the nation ( not me ) can not admit that the is still racism what a shame .

Barack Obama is my choice for president finally a candidate that is in touch with the real america.

to christian prophet : it is people like you that scare the hell out of me. I may not agree for abortion for myself anymore, although I am still a supporter and still would have an abortion if nec. I can't agree with the hate that Christians expell....what is Christian about hating any person gay lesbian abortion supporters / that thinking is not what a loving God wants...makes me very happy that I am not brainwashed by the Christian movement and can still love my fellow humans without judging them. She is not more qualified; but that only makes it better for Dem's because she is out of touch and her voice is annoying.

Sarah Palin: BA degree in journalism - U of Idaho. (Home of the fightin' Vandals. No, Really. You could not make that up.)
Member, Wasilla, Alaska PTA (Take THAT, Putin!)
Wasilla, Alaska City Council- 1992-1996 (4 years)
Wasilla, Alaska Mayor-1996-2002
Ran for Lt. Gov- 2002- lost
Gov of Alaska- 2006-current 20 months (state pop: less than 1/5 that of Chicago, not including moose. Roughly 7 times the attendance for Obama's speech in Denver)

****************************** ********************

Barack Obama: Occidental College- 2 years
Columbia U- BA degree in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations
Worked at Business Internationl Corporation
Chicago Community Organizer- 3 years
Harvard Law School- Juris Doctor, president of Harvard Law Review (first year), Graduated Magna cum laude (note to U of Idaho grads: this means "really, really good" in a weird, foreign language)
Lawyer- Sidley & Austin Law firm, Chicago
U of Chicago law School- Constitutional law teacher 12 years, Lecturer for four years (1992"1996,Senior Lecturer for eight years (1996"2004).
Wrote 2 best selling books
Civil Rights Attorney- 1993-1996- Associate, of counsel- 1996-2004
Illinois State Senate: 1998-2004- 3 terms
US Senate- 2004- Current, Committees: Foreign Relations, Vet Affairs, Envir and Public works, European Affairs
Over 800 pieces of legislation that he's written, sponsored, co-sponsored and voted on.
Presidential campaign, 19 months to date
__________________________________________

palin has run a state that is the equivalent of a small town...also a state that is that is pretty much closed off from most of america....so much that Palin has publicly stated that she doesn't pay that much attention to iraq....but you are lauding this "executive experience" as if she had run a state like texas or california where real problems have to be solved....please can you tell me where Alaska ranks in the U.S. economy?

McCain's choice of Palin goes miles to support the Dems claims that he knuckles under to special interests. This is an obvious example of his pandering to the "christian" conservatives. It is also obvious that he was trying to appeal to the faithful Hillary supporters but that will backfire. This woman is the antithesis of Sen. Clinton. She stands for everything that Hillary fought hard to change for needy Americans. Sen. McCain has lost his backbone/mind. Gov. Palin has NO experience, and lacks the education needed to perform the duties of this office. Let's admit it...she has a HUGE chance of having to succeed McCain as President should he die in office. This has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman but that she is an UNQUALIFIED candidate.

*When she announced that she was 7 months pregnant to her staff, everyone was shocked because she didn't look pregnant.
*At the same time, her 16 year old daughter was out from school for 6 months claiming a prolonged bout with mono.
*Mono lasts from between 1 to 2 months, any longer and complications occur such as spleen damage (Or in serve cases rupturing), hepatitis, jaundice or anemia. No reports were given on her health and all 4 noted complications would have required medical hospitalization.
*Sarah Palin says that her water broke on August 18th around 4 in the morning at a Texas convention. She then decided to give a speech she'd been planning at the event.
*She then got permission from her doctor to fly 8 hours to Alaska before giving birth.
*This is especially questionable considering the fetus was diagnosed with Down Syndrome to travel the distance while in the beginning stages of labor.
*She was also able to hide her condition from the airliner and none of the stewardesses couldn't tell she was pregnant. (Even though her water had already allegedly broke.)
*Her office's website has been selectively deleting recent photos from their online albums.
*Only one image has been released of her looking pregnant, but it was from a back angle and had been question
*She has refused to have an independent maternity test taken to quell all speculation.

The idea that Hillary supporters will vote Republican just because the GOP put a female on the ticket is an insult to the intelligence of all people, both women and men. Palin’s got minimal education and experience, already has a taste for abusing power, and policy positions that are 180-degrees from Hillary. But that’s missing the point of what’s really happening.

Palin is being spun as a “party reformer” because she is the bitter enemy of the Alaskan GOP. In actuality, the Alaskan GOP establishment has long been considered to be "dangerously liberal" by most conservatives. Palin represents the central thrust of a hard-right takeover of the Alaskan GOP.

But here’s the key—she stands to acquire a vast personal fortune from the oil reserves of the state she controls. She has potentially eight long years as governor and over 26 billion barrels of untapped oil to exploit (trillions if Alaska drills offshore). That easily makes her a contender on the world stage.

Alaska’s Republicans have groomed Palin for over a decade to keep that extravagant wealth in the hands of the “right people”. Forget the made-for primetime-working-class story—follow the money.

The big picture is the oil she’s sitting on, and Palin has shown she’s ready and eager to do anything it takes to seize those incalculable riches.

Palin’s not being hired to woo unhappy Hillary supporters; she’s been crowned the Queen of American Oil Carpetbaggers.

Sarah Palin: A breath of fresh air indeed! I am a woman and will vote for her not just because she is a woman but because I believe that she has the guts and the smarts to shake up some Washington "empty suits". And, there are plenty of them!

Go Saraaaaaah! And do not worry about the rhetoric that you are not ready to be "Commander in Chief".... Obama is running for that position and does not have any executive experience or your guts to cross partylines. He accuses Senator McCain for having voted 95% of the time with the Republicans but what Obama is not telling us is that he has voted 97% of the time with his buddies the Democrats.

Obama speaks of all these "miracles" that he will perform once elected but he has failed - for a year now - to tell us how he is going to pay for it! I do not know how on earth he will reduce taxes for 95% of Americans as he promises and pay for the rest of his "miracle change" whithout blowing up the national deficit to quadrillions!!! All his speeches (rhetoric) sure sound impressive however he is not telling us something that we have never heard before by every politician who rans for President! Have you not heard any candidate in the past not promising good schools, good roads, more money in your pocket, less crime on the streets? Hey, we have heard it before!

Do not be afraid of the Washington status quo Sarah Palin! They will attack you plenty but that is because they are worried that you will shake things up! Trust me, they are not really worried about what will happen to the country if you have to become Commander in Chief should something tragic happen... 90% of Washingtom politicians do not even know what the Truman Doctrine was - let alone being experts for example in Eastern European geopolitical issues! Is anybody trying to tell us that all previous Presidents had a degree in Political Science or Foreign Relations? Yeah sure...I am going to laugh!

We need a hands on "outsider" to shake up Washington. The National Security and safety of our country first requires a real "patriot" in office with great judgement, who will surround herself with an excellent team. Sarah Palin is a true patriot, she has demonstrated excellent judgement during her career, and she has the guts to bring real change!!!!!!

I sometimes get the distinct impression that the media is always looking for creative ways to keep drama alive in this election. I note that in the wake of the wildly successful democratic convention last week, there has been almost no news of any polling. I suggest that is because the polls show Obama pulling way ahead of McCain.

Indeed, I have noticed that about the only time the media gets interested in the polls at all is when a poll comes out that is favorable to McCain. And have you noticed that even when they do have a poll that shows Ovbama with a lead of say, 4 or 6 points, the media will go inside the poll and obsess on some arcane deatail that favors McCain?

I just don't get it at all. Why in the world is the media so galaringlt biased in McCain's favor? Are they overcompensating for all of the criticism they got in the primaries--mainly from the GOP--that they were too baised in favor of Obama? Clearly, Limbaugh and his brain cell deficient dittoheads were all hot for Clinton because they thought she would be easier to demonize.

I am a retired Disabled vet.20 yrs Navy I was in Nam ,I was in CAG 57,(Carrier Air Groupe) I am a Life Member of the NRA I will NOT vote for Mc Same. The people need to see there is a lot at stake this election.. We have lost the 4th addment. I am tired of giving up the freedoms i servrd 2o yrs for. I am a regesterd Independent.

Since the 2000 election and the disgraceful tactics the repugs used to steal the election from Al Gore , I figured there was no way I could ever support anyone from that bunch .
After what I've witnessed from the Dems and DNC ,when it came to being fair in this election, I saw the very same Dirty Tricks used on Hillary .
I donot and will not support that BOY "Obama", just because those fools that run the DNC think he's some kind of Messiah . I would have voted for the punk anyway if Hillary was the VP, (at least we'd have someone who Knew what to do) but not now.Happy to see you and your ARROGANCE lose Obama .

One out of five Colorado voters purged from voter registration
Outcome of 2008 election likely to be skewed by unethical tactics

Steal Back Your Vote!

RealVail.com

By David O. Williams

August 27, 2008 — Robert Kennedy Jr. had a pretty good excuse for skipping his scheduled appearance with investigative journalist Greg Palast to promote their latest project, “Steal Back Your Vote” — a report on voting irregularities and fraud in the 2008 election.

Palast, speaking at the Progressive Democrats of America gathering at a downtown Denver church during the DNC Tuesday, excused Kennedy’s absence to be with his uncle, Monday’s inspirational surprise speaker Sen. Ted Kennedy, and introduced a surprise replacement of his own, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now.
Progressive investigative journalist Goodman asked a delegate to hold up a goody bag with sponsor logo from AT&T on one side and decried the influence of big corporate money on the modern American political process.

She talked about trying to get into a delegate gathering at Mile High Stadium Monday and being denied access by towering security guards. Goodman said delegates at a corporate party are in training for just how skewed by campaign contributions politics in America have become, and added that there can be no good reasons to keep the press out, only bad ones.

“When you’ve got money saturating politics, and even if you care deeply about the public good, you’ve got to see where the money is and that’s what this is about every four years,” Goodman said. “It’s about teaching (budding politicians) big-money politics.”

Goodman said AT&T’s sponsorship of the DNC is the Democrats’ reward for refusing to block a bill several weeks ago giving telecom companies retroactive immunity for facilitating domestic spying by the feds. She also urged support of independent media during both parties’ political conventions in order to limit and expose excesses by police against protesters in Denver and Minnesota.

Palast took back the microphone to talk up his project with Kennedy, which will be the subject of a feature in a major national magazine next month and which also will be released as a 24-page comic-book-style PDF illustrated by three top political cartoonists. The report will be available on the Web site www.stealbackyourvote.org.

Palast said former Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson has made the state the epicenter of the rampant practice of purging voter registration lists for alleged irregularities — a tactic now even more en vogue in the wake of new legislation backed by the Bush administration.

“Now under the Help America Vote Act the entire nation is Floridated, but the champ, [former Florida Secretary of State] Katherine Harris, ain’t got nothing on Colorado,” Palast said. “We’re sitting at purge ground zero. The reason that there’s a convention here is this is a swing state where Democrats are piling in, tens of thousands of new voters in Colorado at the top of the bucket, but at the bottom of the bucket the spread sheets are going (poof).

“What’s happening? Donetta Davidson, who had been secretary of state in the state of Colorado, removed 19.4 percent — one out of five voters in the state of Colorado, she removed their names. And what happens to Davidson as a result of this? The answer is George Bush made her head of the brand new Election Assistance Commission, where she can train all 50 secretaries of state in her purging ways. In fact, President Bush, instead of calling her chairwoman of the EAC, was going to call her the Purging General.”

MCCAIN IS THE BIGGEST PERVERT ALIVE!!
McCain's first wife was a 1.Beauty Queen, no substance. He cheated on her and his children with many women while his wife was crippled and trying to recover from a bad crash.

Mccain lies abouts his age to meet another 2.Beauty Queen while cheating on his wife, files for a marriage license while married and still living with his wife and kid's.
Now McCain pick's another 3. Beauty Queen who is turning out to be the biggest bust in the World of VP choices.
WHAT IS IT WITH MCCAIN AND BEAUTY QUEENS??

LOOK AT THIS PERVERT ON YOUTUBE LOOKING AT PALIN ARSE AND SMILING!!
MCCAIN IS THE BIGGEST PERVERT ALIVE!!
McCain's first wife was a 1.Beauty Queen, no substance. He cheated on her and his children with many women while his wife was crippled and trying to recover from a bad crash.

Mccain lies abouts his age to meet another 2.Beauty Queen while cheating on his wife, files for a marriage license while married and still living with his wife and kid's.
Now McCain pick's another 3. Beauty Queen who is turning out to be the biggest bust in the World of VP choices.
WHAT IS IT WITH MCCAIN AND BEAUTY QUEENS??

I was disappointed with Mrs Palin's speech last night, it is a time to unite the nation and not divide it. She talks about Senator Obama sayong one thing and doing another, well how will she feel when people start to criticize her family that she has tried to use to help her politically. Oh by the way how did her son get stationed in Alaska?

When announcing Sarah Palin as his running mate, was he positioning himself for the Hillary Clinton voters or something else? Is he using sensationalism and preying on the emotions of the pro-life voters and other Americans? While preaching to exclude family from politics, each time Sarah Palin is shown, her teenage daughter is positioned in the background, silently sending a message for the American voter to see; no words needed. Such sensationalism; preying on sympathy from voters for Sarah Palin and family; instead of focusing on issues he’s focusing on emotions.

With other more qualified candidates, and knowing of the pregnancy, what was his true purpose for choosing Sarah Palin – to play the “Sexism Card,” or the “Sympathy and Pro-Life Card;” Or both? His unashamed use of an innocent teenager’s situation in his campaign is shameful.

As a mother, I would question Sarah’s priorities, knowing that the job of the vice president or president is a twenty-four, seven job. I believe in equal opportunity, and in years to come, she may become the right candidate, yet my vote would be for the woman who put the needs of the children first in their formative years; knowing there would be plenty of time to be active in politics when the children are older. Shouldn’t we be questioning her current order of priorities? She may have some qualifications, and she may want it all, yet at what and whose expense? Juggling her current responsibilities toward her five children with a twenty-four, seven high-profile job wouldn’t appear to be sound judgment. I would ask my vice-president to have sound judgment to make decisions needed in office. It isn’t that women with children aren’t qualified, because we are and have proven this in the work place. Yet, none might hold a twenty-four, seven job. It isn’t sexist to note this, just realistic to be concerned about the principles of the candidates as shown by their example.

I am an independent, woman, attorney who is offended that Mccain could possibly think that any woman with a brain (who was previously a Hillary supporter) would blindly vote for him now that he has a woman on the ticket. That in itself is demeaning to women.

That said, I think it is very peculiar that Palin is available to give speeches but is never available to answer any questions by reporters or do any interviews. Can she speak for herself or does she have to have the Republicans write her speeches for her. This allows her to say anything she wants without having to answer for it, or discuss her political viewpoints, it makes me feel as though she, and her party have something to hide. It is as though they put her up there on the stage, let her do her speech, and then wisk her away so that no one can find out anything about her but what they tell us and what they want us to know about her. When anyone questions even her past political decisions they cry sexism and play the gender card.

I was shocked by a lot of statements Palin made in her speech on Wednesday, but being a woman who actually checks her facts one statement had me rushing to check the congressional record. Palin stated in her speech, "listening to (Barack Obama) speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform", Barack Obama was a very active Senator, sponsoring over 100 Congressional bills, and who actually co-sponsored a bill with her, Palin's, running mate McCain entitled, Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008 on June 3rd of this year. She also attacked the fact the Obama and Biden did not serve their country.... did she....when did she fight for our country? That statement was blatantly hypocritical. Everyone faces adversity and challenges in their own way (Biden lost his wife and child as well as suffered through 2 brain aneurisms while serving our country as a senator), is she saying that one persons suffering is more important than another just because he was in another part of the world?

This new Vice-Presidential Nominee really needs to stop hiding behind her gender and start checking her facts.

Is it possible that the most of the nation is so into Hollywood? We're not voting for America's Next Hot Moma.. This is a serious matter. We're talking about a V.P, the one that could even possible become the president. This woman has five children, and some few gray clouds. Her husband affiliation with a third party is scary enough to even consider her as V.P.

Her pregnant MINOR daughter, contradicts the values of church goers and conservatives. Not to mention it will be clearly the wrong role model and message for our youth. There has been millions spent in federal programs promoting abstinence, and we are going to just slapped every single tax payer in the face like that?

Your tax money at work = wasted..And the fact that they're are desperately trying to put it all in a positive way by saying, that she will at least not have an abortion, an insult to every teenage girl. What are they saying? That all teenagers get abortions?

This is more an insult to every woman. Except for those who lack sense of self respect. FYI, not all working mothers have kids having kids...

If you listen to the Republican Pres and VP candidates' speeches at the convention, it is clear that they have nothing good to say on issues, and realize that they need to "dumb it down" to even get close to winning. I was expecting more from McCain than to throw the abortion/guns/God issues at us, and assume that women are stupid enough to go for this joke. I will now, without a doubt, be voting for Obama this November.

I could care less what women voters do., this male is a Palin Guy. I am glad to . It wouldnt change my opionion though, I think Sarah Palin Should be the GOP nominee., not McCain. The Republicans are much more excited about palin then mccain., The new most famous person in the world.

Go Palin, the elite Washington Media is trying everything to bring down the ticket, but what's really going on here? Obama missed the mark when he didn't ask Hillary as his running mate. Alot of us Hillary supporters, even though Palin is much different, will keep that in mind come November.